Safety mechanism for automatic nozzle



United States Patent inventors Glenn E. Moore Fail-field; Chester W.Wood, Cincinnati, Ohio AppL-No. 673,448

Filed Oct. 6, 1967 Patented Dec. 22, 1970 Assignee Dover CorporationCincinnati, Ohio a corporation of Delaware SAFETY MECHANISM FORAUTOMATIC NOZZLE 9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

US. 141/208, l4l/225 Int. Cl. B65b 1/30, B67d 5/37 Field Search 141/198-[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,042,083 7/1962 Kruckeberg141/208 3,088,500 5/1963 Payne l4l/208 3,323,560 6/1967 Ehlers 141/208Primary Examiner-Houston S. Bell, Jr. Attamey-Kinney and SchenkABSTRACT: This disclosure relates to fluid dispensing nozzle means suchas an automatic gasoline dispensing nozzle which has safety meansincorporated therein to assure that if the dispensing nozzle isinadvertently moved or dropped from its normal dispensing positiongasoline flow through such nozzle will be stopped.

PATENTED [IEB22 1970 Q. & mm w 3 mm mm 8 v NICE.

mm Om mw 0% mm @v Ev D m0 NO W V mw R E T S E H C GLENN E. MOORE THEIRATTORNE SAFETY MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC NOZZLE BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION Many fluid dispensing nozzle means are in current use todayincluding gasoline dispensing nozzles of the type provided withautomatic high level shut off and often used in self-service typegasoline stations where the automobile driver is encouraged to operatethe gasoline nozzle and dispense gasoline within the tank of his ownautomobile. In such selfservice type gasoline stations it often occursthat the driver inadvertently drives away from the gasoline station withthe gasoline dispensing nozzle still inserted within the gasoline tankof his automobile thereby creating considerable damage to the gasolinepumping equipment, causing considerable gasoline loss, and creating afire hazard.

SUMMARY This invention provides improved safety means for fluiddispensing nozzle means, such as a gasoline dispensing nozzle, forexample, which assures that gasoline flow through such nozzle is stoppedin the event the nozzle is moved or dropped from its normal dispensingposition. In addition, such safety means provides a controlled shearingaway of a portion of the gasoline dispensing nozzle to minimize thedamage which would otherwise be caused without such shearing and furtherthis invention provides safety means for actuating automatic shutoffmeans normally provided in such a gasoline dispensing nozzle to stopgasoline flow after the discharge conduit is sheared away and as thegasoline dispensing nozzle strikes ground.

Other details, uses, and advantages of this invention will becomeapparent as the following description of the exemplary embodimentthereof presented in the accompanying drawing proceeds.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The accompanying drawing shows apresent preferred embodiment of this invention, in which FIG. 1 is aside elevation of an exemplary gasoline dispensing nozzle with partsthereof shown in section and which includes the safety means of thisinvention as an integral part thereof;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the nozzle of FIG. 1 with parts in sectionand parts broken away to particularly illustrate integral safety meansof this invention and comprised in part of a gravity operated valve andto also illustrate the arrangement of such gravity operated valvewithin'the gasoline dispensing nozzle; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of such gravity operated valve.

In the exemplary embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-3of the drawings, an improved fluid dispensing head means such as agasoline dispensing head or nozzle is illustrated. Dispensing nozzle 20is comprised of a main housing means or body 21 having normally closedvalve means indicated generallyby the numeral 22 supported within body21.

Valve means 22comprises a poppet valve 23 which is normally urgedclosed-by a spring 24 against a cooperating seat 25 provided inhousing21. Poppet. valve 23 has a stem 26 fixed to the lower endthereof. The lower end of stem 26 is normally engaged by a suitablypivoted lever 27 to override spring 24 and thus open valve assembly 22.

A passage 30 is provided in housing 21 and such housing has means suchas threads or the like at the entrance to passage 30 for connection ofnozzle 20 to a flexible hose, or the like, which in turn is connected toa source of gasoline through a gasoline metering pump. Fluid dischargeconduit means such as a discharge conduit 32 isalso suitably connectedto the discharge end of nozzle 20. Upon actuating lever 27, with nozzle20 inserted in a gasoline tank, for example, stem 26 and hence poppet 23is raised upwardly allowing gasoline to flow I Gasoline dispensingnozzle 20 includes automatic shutoff means enabling leaving nozzle 20unattended. The automatic shutoff means shuts off the flow of gasolinethrough male 20 once an associated gasoline tank has been filled so thatthe discharge end portion of conduit 32 is submerged by gasoline.

The automatic high-level shutoff means used in nozzle 20 is of a knowntype and is designated within nozzle 20 generally by the numeral 33.shutoff means 33 comprises a generally tubular cylindrical plunger 34mounted within housing 21 for axial movement within confined limits.Plunger 34 has radial openings in one end portion thereof, shown in theupper end portion in this example, and a plurality of balls 35 carriedwithin such radial openings for radial movement toward and away from theelongated axis of plunger 34. The balls 35 operate to hold the plunger34 in a raised position upon being urged radially outwardly by acooperating-stem 36 extending through the central portion of tubularplunger 34 as will be presently described.

Stem 36 is suitably centrally fastened to a diaphragm 37 which iscarried within housing 21 to define a pressure chamber shown at 38. Stem36 has a tapered portion illustrated at 39 which serves as cam surfacemeans adapted to engage balls 35. A balance spring is provided on thetop side of diaphragm 37 for controlling the extent of movement of suchdiaphragm and hence the movement of tapered portion 39 and balls 35.

Nozzle 20 also has a separate passage means designated generally by thenumeral 40 and extending from a location adjacent the terminal dischargeend of discharge conduit 32 so that it is in flow communication withpressure chamber 38. Passage means 40 is comprised of a plurality ofportions extending through several members and as will be described inmore detail later in this specification. The lower end portion ofpassage means 40 is comprised of separate tubing means defined by arigid downstream section of tubing 41 which has one open end portion 42extending through conduit 32 adjacent its discharge end as shown at 43.

The opposite end means of rigid tubing section 41 is comprised of astretchable rubberlike sleeve 44 suitably radially stretched to increaseits diameter and slipped over the upper end of rigid section 41 andfastened in flow communication with an attitude sensitive devicecomprising this invention and designated generally by the numeral 45.,and to be described in detail later in this disclosure. Device 45 isthen connected in flow communication with passage means in a detachablesupport assembly comprising nozzle 20 as will be described later. Suchsupport assembly has its passage means in flow communication with anintegral passage 46 in housing 21 and passage 46 communicates withchamber 38.

During a normal filling operation, with a tank not yet full, thepressure within chamber 38 is such that tapered portion 39 urges balls35 outwardly so that they engage an O-ring or seat ring 50 supported ona shoulder 51 provided in housing 21, thus holding plunger 34 in itsraised position. This is the solid line position shown in FIG. 2.

As the tank or container is filled during a normal filling operation,liquid submerges the terminal end portion of arcuate discharge conduit32 also submerging open end portion 62 of tubing 41 to cause a reductionin pressure in the entire passage means 40 including integral passage:36. Because passage 46 of passage means 40 is in flow communicationwith chamber 38, the reduced pressure is also present in chamber 38which allows diaphragm 37 to move upwardly to the dotted line positionof FIG. 2 causing balls 35 to roll toward each other to the dotted lineposition shown and thereby releasing or unlocking plunger 34 from itsraised position as held by balls 35 being seated against seat ring 50. I

As plunger 3d is released it drops to a lower dotted line position shownat 53 in FIG. 2 and thereby drops a pivot pin 54? carried at its lowerterminal end.

Pivot pin 54 supports one end of lever 27 for pivoting movementthereabout. With pivot pin 54 dropped to position 53, the upper portionof lever 27 strikes housing 21 at 56 upon being actuated making itphysically impossible for lever 27 to contact the terminal end of rod 26and allow flow through poppet assembly 23. It will be appreciated thatonce the mechanical assembly associated with plunger 34 drops toposition 53 spring 24 immediately urges poppet assembly 23 closed. Alsoif lever 27 was previously left actuated and unattended using latch 27Ain a known manner once plunger 34 drops to position 53 all flow throughnozzle is stopped.

The previously mentioned safety means 45 of this example of theinvention is in the form of a gravity operated valve means or valveassembly 45. The valve assembly or valve 45 has an outer main body 58which has a necked down portion 59 comprising one end portion thereof.Passage means is provided axially through body 58 and is defined by alarge diameter portion or bore 60 extending through the major portion ofbody 58 and a reduced diameter portion or bore 60A extending throughnecked down portion 59. End portion 59 has outside threads providedthereon as shown at 61. The opposite end of body 60 has internal threads62 provided therein and defining the outer end portion of bore 60.

A tubing supporting member designated by the numeral 63 is provided aspart of valve assembly 65 and has a threaded outer portion as indicatedat 64 for threaded cooperation with threaded portion 62. Member 63 has apassage extending completely axially through such member and designatedby the numeral 65. The outer end portion of passage 65 is defined by acylindrical counterbore designated by the numeral 66 which is adapted toreceive the previously mentioned sleeve 44 therewithin.

Thus, it is seen that the tubing supporting member 63 is adapted to bethreaded in position within housing 58 with sleeve 44 suitably fastenedthereto and in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3 to place sleeve 44 inflow communication with passage 60.

Valve assembly 45 also has a ball supporting member designated by thenumeral 73 which is suitably supported within bore 60 of housing 58. Thesupporting member 73 has a smaller outside diameter than the passage orcavity 60 within housing 58 and is provided with an axial cylindricalpassage 74 and a plurality of radially extending openings eachdesignated by the numeral 76 extending between passage 74 and the outersurface of member 73. Passage 74 is aligned with the passage 60A ofhousing 58 with member 73 suitably installed in position in valveassembly 45.

Supporting member 73 supports a spherical ball 75 which is adapted toroll back and forth along cylindrical passage 74.

Thus, with the valve assembly 45 threaded in position in nozzle 20 andupon tilting nozzle 20 so that the valve assembly 45 is placed in anattitude above housing 21, ball 75 will roll along passage 74 and seatagainst a seat shown at 81 defining inner surface means of passage 60A.Thus, ball 75 is adapted to shut off flow and, in effect, produce avacuum within chamber 38 upon arranging nozzle 20 so that the valveassembly 45 is arranged above the main body 21 and hence above the mainportion of the nozzle 20. Also, it has been found that during thefalling and striking ofa nozzle to the ground the ball 75 generallymoves against seat 81 for an instant sufficient to actuate the automaticshutoff of nozzle 20.

.ln this example of the invention the opposite end portion of tubing 61is fastened to the valve assembly 45 through sleeve section M which ispreferably made of a yieldable material such as gasoline resistantplastic, or the like. The plastic tubing section is preferably fastenedin position within tubular counterbore 66 of member 63 in any suitablemanner as by a tight press fit, adhesive, or the like. The opposite endportion of sleeve 44 preferably has an associated end of tubing 41inserted in position therewithin to provide a snug fit. Adhesive meansmay also be used between tubing 41 and sleeve 44.

However, the fastening of sleeve 44 in position is not very firm and isonly sufficient to provide an air tight seal; yet, is such that uponapplying a force against tubing 41, sleeve 44 assures that no damagingforces are exerted against valve assembly 45.

The valve assembly 45 is supported solely by a support assembly 77detachably fastened at the discharge end of housing 22 in a manner aswill be subsequently described. Support assembly 77 comprises afastening collar 78 which has internal threads 79 provided therein toenable quick attachment and removal of assembly 77 at the terminaldischarge end portion of housing 21 by threading over cooperating malethreads 80 provided on such housing. In addition, it will be noted thatassembly 77 has passage means 82 comprising passage means 40 and in flowcommunication with passage portion 46 of passage means 40. The passagemeans 82 extends through the main portion 84 of assembly 77 and definesthe central portion of passage means 40.

The valve assembly 45 is supported solely by support assembly 77 bythreading threaded portion 61 in position within cooperating threads 83provided in assembly 77 and is arranged in How communication withpassage means 82. Thus, the valve assembly 45 is supported solely bysupport assembly 77 and essentially in a cantilevered manner for reasonsas will be apparent from the following discussion.

The fluid discharge conduit 32 comprising nozzle 20 is supported inposition by threads provided in its upstream portion as shown at 85. Thethreads 85 are threaded into cooperating internal threads 86 provided onsupport assembly 77.

Fluid discharge conduit 32 also has means to enable shearing thereof inthe event of excessive forces being applied thereagainst. In thisexample of the invention such means comprise annular groove means shownas a substantially V- shaped groove designated by the numeral 90provided in the upstream end portion of conduit 32 adjacent its threadedend 85. The annular groove 90 substantially reduces the wall thicknessof the conduit 32 and, in effect, provides a shear section which in theevent an excessive force is applied against conduit 32 enables theconduit to shear circumferentially at the reduced thickness sectionbeneath groove 90.

Thus, it will be appreciated that in using gasoline dispensing nozzle 20in a gasoline service station where inadvertently the I nozzle is leftwithin the tank of the automobile as the driver drives away, the fluiddischarge conduit 32 will be sheared adjacent the groove 90. As conduit32 is sheared the tubular portion 41 will generally be carriedtherewith. The construction of and physical dimensional tolerances ofplastic sleeve 44 are such that either tubing 41 will be pulled fromwithin sleeve 44 or both the tubing 41 and sleeve 44 will be pulled fromwithin valve assembly 45 without setting up undue forces in valveassembly 45.

With the conduit 32 being thus sheared the remaining por-, tion ofnozzle 20 will fall toward and against the ground causing ball 75 totravel toward its seat 81 and thereby actuate the automatic shutoffmechanism and stop fuel flow from out of the gasoline dispensing nozzle20.

It will be appreciated that the safety provisions incorporated in nozzle20 assure shearing of conduit 32 to minimize damage to the nozzle, fuelmetering pump, etc. as well as shutting off of gasoline flow throughnozzle 20 to reduce waste and reduce the likelihood of a serious firedue to the spilled gasoline.

in this example of the invention the conduit 4-1 is illustrated as beinga rigid member which is fastened in position to the gravity operatedvalve 45 :utilizing flexible sleeve 44. However, it will be appreciatedthat member 41 could be made of a rubberlike material and extend fromend portion 43 the full length of conduit section 32 and into supportingmember 63. i

Terms such as upwardly," downwardly, inwardly," outwardly, and the like,have been used in this disclosure for ease of description and tocorrespond to the arrangement of the various component parts asillustrated in the drawing and such terms should not be considered aslimiting the scope of this invention in any way.

Thus, it is seen that improved safety means has been provided by thisinvention which may be readily incorporated in an existing nozzle meansin a simple and economical manner and essentially without requiring anyrework of such existing nozzle means.

While present exemplary embodiments of this invention have beenillustrated and described, it will be recognized that this invention maybe otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of thefollowing claims.

lclaim:

1. Fluid dispensing nozzle means for dispensing fluids into fluidcontainer means comprising, a main housing means, valve means supportedwithin said housing means and adapted to be opened to allow fluid flowthrough said nozzle means, a support assembly detachably fastenedadjacent the discharge end of said main housing means, a fluid dischargeconduit means for said nozzle means detachably fastened to said supportassembly and adapted to have its terminal end portion submerged in fluidupon filling said container means, the discharge conduit means includinga shear means adjacent the support assembly, automatic shutoff meansincluding a second conduit means for automatically shutting off flowthrough said valve means as said end portion of said conduit means issubmerged in said'fluid, and readily detachable safety means within thesecond conduit means structually supported solely by said supportassembly upstream of said end portion and within said discharge means,the second conduit means including readily detachable means adjacent thesafety means, said support assembly enabling said fluid dischargeconduit means and said safety means to be readily installed in anexisting nozzle while keeping said main housing means intact, and saidsafety means operating to actuate said automatic shutoff means uponmoving said nozzle means from its normal fluid dispensing position.

2. Fluid dispensing nozzle means as set forth in claim 1 in which saidsafety means comprises'a gravity operated valve.

3. Fluid dispensing nozzle means as set forth in claim 1 in which saidfluid discharge conduit meansis of substantially circular tubularoutline and said means to enable shearing thereof comprises an annulargroove extending completely around said tubularconduit means immediatelyadjacent said support assembly to substantially reduce the thickness ofsaid conduit means and facilitate shearing upon application of saidexcessive forces. 7

4. Fluid dispensing nozzle means as set forth in claim 1 in which saidsafety means comprisesxa gravity operated valve which has asubstantially cylindrical fluid passage extending therethrough, a valveseat adjacent one endof said passage,

and a member which is adapted to move toward and away from said valveseat under the influence of gravity and which seats against said valveseat upon placing said gravity operated valve above said housing means.

5. Fluid dispensing nozzle means as set forth in claim 1 in which saidautomatic shutoff means comprises, a diaphragm operatively connected tocontrol said valve means, said diaphragm having one surface whichcooperates with portions of said housing means to define a pressurechamber, air passage means extending from said pressure chamber andhaving an inlet therefor arranged adjacent said terminal end portion ofsaid conduit means, and said safety means comprises a gravity operatedvalve threadedly fastened in position at the terminal outer end of saidsupport assembly while being arranged in flow relation in said passagemeans between said pressure chamber and said inlet. I

6. Fluid dispensing nozzle means for dispensing fluids into fluidcontainer means comprising a main housing means, valve means supportedwithin said housing means and adapted to be opened to allow fluid flowthrough said nozzle means, a sup, port assembly detachably fastenedadjacent the discharge end of said housing means, a fluid dischargeconduit means for said nozzle means detachably fastened to said supportassembly and adapted to have its terminal end portion submerged in fluidupon filling said container means, automatic shutoff means forautomatically shutting off flow through said valve means as said endportion of said conduit means is submerged in said fluid comprising adiaphragm operatively connected to control said valve means, saiddiaphragm having one surface which cooperates with portions of saidhousing means to define a pressure chamber, air passage means extendingfrom said pressure chamber and having an inlet therefor arrangedadjacent said terminal end portion of said conduit means, readilydetachable safety means comprising a gravity operated valve threadedlyfastened in position at the terminal outer end of said support assemblyand being arranged in flow relation in said passage means between saidpressure chamber and said inlet, said support assembly enabling saidfluid discharge conduit means and said safety means to be readilyinstalled in an existing nozzle while keeping said main housing meansintact, said conduit means including means to enable shearing thereofaway from said support assembly in the event of excessive forces beingapplied against said conduit means, and said air passage meanscomprising separate tubing means having one end defining said inlet forsaid passage means and opposite end means detachably fastened to saidgravity operated valve, so that in theevent of excessive forces beingapplied against said conduit means it is sheared away and said oppositeand means is detached from said gravity operated valve and with saidgravity operated valve structually supported solely by said supportassembly said automatic shutoff is still actuated by said gravityoperated valve as it is placed in an attitude above said housing means.

7. Fluid dispensing nozzle means as set forth in claim 6 in which saidopposite end means comprises tubing means made of a rubberlike materialto effectively isolate said gravity operated valve from damaging forcesduring shearing of said discharge conduit means.

8. Fluid dispensing nozzle means as set forth in claim 6 in which saidfluid discharge conduit means has thread means in it upstream end toenable easy attachment to said support assembly and easy removal of theportion remaining attached to said support means after said shearing.

9. Fluid dispensing nozzle means as set forth in claim 8 in which saidseparate tubing means comprises a rigid downstream tubing sectiondefining said one end and an up stream tubing section made of arubberlike material defining said opposite end means, said upstreamsection being fastened in flow communication with said gravity operatedvalve at its upstream end and fastened in flow communication with saiddownstream section at its downstream end by being stretched over theupper end of said rigid downstream section and frictionally heldthereagainst by the tendency of said rubberlike material to return toits unstretched condition so that said tubing means is easily detachedfrom said gravity operated valve to effectively isolate said gravityoperated valve from damaging forces during shearing of said dischargeconduit means.

